09 September, 2016

National guard called to support police at North Dakota pipeline protests

The North Dakota National Guard
will be on standby to provide assistance to the local police
government in response to the ongoing protests over the Dakota Access
Pipeline, which critics say threatens water and the environment for
Native American communities.

North Dakota Governor Jack
Dalrymple said that he asked the “North Dakota National Guard to
support law enforcement and augment their public safety efforts,”
at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

“For public safety, the North
Dakota Highway Patrol and the Morton County Sheriff's Department are
enhancing their law enforcement presence over the coming weekend,”
Dalrymple said.

He said that the National Guard
they will help in “support roles” such as security and traffic in
the area, adding that the move will help free up extra officers to
patrol the area.

“The guard members will provide
valuable personnel, resources and equipment necessary to support
local tribal and state officials,” adding that the guard would help
to “protect the constitutional rights of those who want to protest
peacefully.”

He asked that pipeline protesters
demonstrate in a “respectful and lawful way.”

Native American groups are
protesting against the pipeline on a camp, sayimg that the
US$3.8-billion pipeline carries heavy Bakken crude oil that would
contaminate millions of peoples drinking water as well as destroy the
environment. In addition, protesters the pipeline goes through
treaty-protected sacred lands.

A number of protesters have been
arrested for their ongoing protest, with some spraypainting and
strapping themselves to pipeline equipment.

Major General Al Dohrman also said
in the announcement that he was negotiating with community leaders to
find a peaceful solution to the protests, but added that there was a
group of "agitators" in the protests.